Archery bow with resiliently mounted stabilizers



Nov. 26, 1968 E. H. HOYT, JR 3,412,725

ARCHERY BOW WITH RESILIENTLY MOUNTED STABILIZERS Filed March 29, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 26, 1968 E. H. HOYT, JR 3,412,725

ARCHERY BOW WITH RESILIENTLY MOUNTED STABILIZERS Filed March 29, 1965 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,412,725 ARCHERY BOW WITH RESILIENTLY MOUNTED STABILIZERS Earl H. Hoyt, Ira, 11510 Natural Bridge Road, Bridgeton, Mo. 63042 Filed Mar. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 443,240 6 Claims. (Cl. 1Z424) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An archery bow having a weighting element connected to and disposed laterally of its handle section to provide mass moments of inertia resisting various angular and translational movements of the bow occurring under shooting condition, in which the connecting means is resilient, having a Youngs modulus which permits slight movement of the bow relative to the weighting element under the side thrust force of a released arrow to allow free passage of the arrow fletch, but which resists significant relative movement under lesser forces and restores and retains the weighting element in a preset still position against gravity, and in which the connecting means includes means acting to forestall oscillation of the weighting element.

This invention relates generally to archery bows, and more particularly to means in a bow operative to reduce torsional and translational movements of a bow under shooting conditions.

In my copending application, entitled Archery Bow, Ser. No. 121,709, filed July 3, 1961, now Patent No. 3,196,860, I disclosed weighting means spaced laterally from a bow handle section and longitudinally with respect to the bow handgrip portion to achieve substantial rnass moment of inertia about longitudinal and transverse axes through the bow and handgrip portion, respectively, in order to effectively reduce errant and inherent torsional and translational movement of abow which occur under shooting conditions without unduly increasing the total weight of the bow.

I have found through extensive experimentation that when the mass moment of inertia is increased by this means beyond a critical value, some interference with the clear passage of an arrow may occur. Under shooting conditions when an arrow is released from a drawn position, the fore end of the arrow normally exerts a substantial horizontal thrust against the adjacent side of the bow, which moves the bow sidewise a slight amount if permitted to do so and thereby insures clear passage of the fietched rear end of the arrow. This sidewise movement is substantially invariable when arrows of the same stiffness are used and when the bow is drawn to the same points and the same release is made, so that the point of impact is not varied from shot to shot due to this slight sidewise movement.

I have also found that a desirably greater degree of dynamic stabilization by the inertial means set forth in the above application may be employed and yet insure clear passage of an arrow if a controlled, slight, sidewise movement of the bow is permitted to occur before the inertial means becomes fully effective. In order to permit this slight sidewise movement of the bow upon release of the arrow, means is required which will permit a slight, controlled, relative movement of the bow and inertial device under the force occasioned by the side thrust of an arrow when released.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an archery bow having weighting means connected thereto in a manner to resist torsional and translational Patented Nov. 26, 1968 movements of the bow under shooting conditions, in which the connecting means connecting the weighting means to the bow permits a controlled, slight, relative movement of the bow and weighting means when a predetermined impact force tending to move the bow is applied thereto.

A further object is to provide connecting means including resilient means connecting inertial means to a bow, thereby to permit a predetermined relative movement of the bow and inertial means when a predetermined force is applied to the bow.

A further object is to provide connecting means connecting inertial means to a bow, which connecting means maintains a normal still position of the inertial device on the bow, permits a predetermined slight relative movement of the bow and inertial device when the bow is acted upon momentarily by a predetermined force, and then returns the inertial device and bow to their normal still relative positions without intervening oscillations.

A further object is to provide connecting means including flexing means connecting inertial means to a bow which maintains normal still relative positions of the inertial means and bow, permits controlled, slight, relative movement of the inertial means and bow under a predetermined momentary force acting on the bow and then returns the bow and inertial means to their normal still relative positions in a predetermined time.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an archery bow equipped with inertial devices connected to the bow in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partially sectionalized side view of one of the inertial devices shown in FIG. 1, showing the connecting means therefor in detail;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are side and end elevational views, respectively, of the rocking member of the connecting means;

FIG. 8 shows a second form of connecting means for connecting the inertial devices of FIG. 1 to the bow;

FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 are transverse sectional views taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 8 and show the connecting means in various adjusted angular positions;

FIG. 12 shows a third form of connecting means for connecting the inertial devices of FIG. 1 to the bow;

FIG. 13 shows a fourth form of connecting means for connecting the inertial devices of FIG. 1 to the bow;

FIG. 14 shows a fifth form of connecting means for connecting the inertial devices of FIG. 1 to the bow;

FIG. 15 shows a fifth form of connecting means for connecting the inertial weighting elements of FIG. 1 to the bow;

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of an archery bow equipped with inertial devices of a second form;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 1717 of FIG. 16; and

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 1818 of FIG. 17.

Referring to the drawings, an archery bow is generally indicated at 10 having an upper flexible limb 12, a lower flexible limb 14, and a non-flexing handle section 16 on which an intermediate handgripping portion 18 is formed. Attached to the handle section 16 is a pair of inertial devices generally indicated at 20, each comprising a weighting member 22, a rigid support rod 24 spacing the weighting element laterally from the back face of the bow, and a connector generally indicated at 26 connecting the inner end of the support rod 24 to the bow.

Referring to FIG. 2, the connector 26 comprises a cupshaped member 28 having an integrally formed, threaded stud 30 projecting from the bottom thereof which is threadedly engaged in an internally and externally threaded and flanged bushing 32. The bushing v32 is in turn threadedly engaged in a tapped hole in the bow handle section 16. A pliable washer 34 is provided between the bottom of cup member 28 and the flange of bushing 32. Inserted in cup member 28 is a thick annulus 38 of rubber-like material. A rocking member 40 having a circular flange portion 42 and a central, internally threaded, hollow, cylindrical portion 44 is also inserted in cup member 28 with its cylindrical portion 44 entered into the central hole of the annulus 38 in tight-fit relationship and its flange portion 42 overlying the outer face of annulus 38. An annular retaining nut 46 threadedly engaging an external threaded portion of the cup near its outer end retains the rocking member and annulus 38 within the cup member 28.

The rigid support rod 24 of the inertial member 20 has a reduced diameter threaded portion 48 at its inner end threadedly engaged in the internally threaded, hollow, cylindrical portion 44 of rocking member 40, and a pliable washer 50 is provided between the shoulder formed by the reduced diameter portion 48 and the circular flange portion 42 of rocking member 40. The weighting member 22 of the inertial device 20 is provided with an internally threaded bore 52 which receives a reduced diameter threaded portion at the outer end of support rod 24.

The internal dimensions of cup member 28 and the dimensions of rubber-like annulus 38 are such that the annulus 38 is under some compression both radially and axially. The flange portion 42 of rocking member 40 is entered into the cup member at least partially and the diameter of flange portion 42 is sufliciently smaller than the inside diameter of cup member 28 to permit the rocking member 40 to rock in any direction, therefore permitting the inertial device a limited movement in any direction from its normal still axis with relation to the how when a suflicient impact force is applied to the bow to efiect a compression of the rubber-like annulus 38.

FIG. 8 shows a second form of connector generally indicated at 53. In this form a rubber-like annulus 54 is received in a cup member 56 and a rocking member 58 has a flange portion which overlies the annulus 54 and a hollow, internally threaded, cylindrical portion which is entered into the bore of the annulus. The rocking member 58 in this form of connector is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 60 which passes through the hollow, threaded, cylindrical portion of the rocking member and is journalled in the walls of cup member 56. The cup member 56 is attached to the bow handle section by means of a screw 62 which is threadedly engaged in the internally and externally threaded bushing 32. The bushing 32 is in turn threadedly engaged in a tapped bore in the bow handle section. The support rod 24 has a reduced diameter portion 48 which is threadedly engaged in the internally threaded cylindrical portion of the rocking member 58 as shown in FIG. 2.

In this form of connector, the rocking member 58 is constrained by pivot pin 60 to rock in a single plane. However, the plane in which the rocking member rocks, and consequently the plane in which the inertial device 20 is permitted to move from its still position, may be selected. By way of example, FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 show the pivot pin 60 in three diflerent adjusted positions. When the connector 53 is in the position shown in FIG. 11 with the pivot pin in a vertical position, the connection will yield to permit a slight relative movement of the bow and inertial device only in response to a sidewise horizontal movement of the how. This permits the use of a softer, rubber-like annulus while at the same time precluding any sagging of the intertial device when the bow is held in a shooting position. The positions of the connector shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 are compromise positions for left and right-hand bows. When the connector 53 is in either of these positions vertical as well as horizontal relative movements of the bow and intertial device may occur.

FIG. 12 shows a third form of connector generally indicated at 64. In this form of connector the outer peripheral portion of a rubber-like annulus 66 is received in an annular recess 68 formed in the Wall of a metal cup member 70, and the inner portion of the annulus 66 surrounding its central bore is received in an annular recess 72 formed in a metal, spool-like rocking member 74. The spool-like rocking member 74 also has an internally threaded, hollow, cylindrical portion. The rubber-like annulus 66 is preferably heat bonded to the walls of the recesses 68 and 72, respectively, of the metal cup member and rocking member. The inner end of rocking member 74 is spaced from the bottom wall of the cup member 70 and a rubber-like spacer 76 is inserted therebetween. The cup member 70 is provided with a threaded integral stud 78 projecting from its bottom wall, which stud is threadedly engaged in an internally and externally threaded bushing 32 which, in turn, is threadedly engaged in a threaded bore in how handle section 16. The inner end of support rod 24 of the inertial device 20 is provided with a reduced diameter threaded portion 48 which is threadedly engaged in the internally threaded, hollow, cylindrical portion of rocking member74.

In this form of connector, the rocking member 74 may rock in any direction and, consequently, the inertial device 20, connected to the bow thereby, may move in any direction about its still axis with relation to the bow when suflicient impact force is imparted to the bow. It will be noted that when an impact force is imparted to the bow the stress set up in the rubber-like annulus 66, in this arrangement, is a shearing stress rather than a compression stress as is the case in the rubber-like annulus 38 of the connector shown in FIG. 2 or the annulus 54 of the connector shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 13 shows a fourth form of connector generally indicated at 82. This form of connector is similar in its action and construction to connector 26, shown in FIG. 2, except that a compression spring 84 is substituted for the rubber annulus 38. The inner face of the flange of the rocking member 86 and the inner bottom wall of the cup member 88, in this arrangement, are provided with recesses to receive and maintain the concentricity of spring 84, and tough, thin, resilient spacers are provided at both ends of spring 84 and between the outer face of the flange of the rocking member 86 and the annular retaining nut 90 to reduce noise.

FIG. 14 shows a fifth form of connector in which a short, relatively flexible, support rod section 92, enclosed in a cylindrical rubber-like member 94, is interposed between the rigid support rod 24 and the bow handle section 16. The short flexible rod section 92 has reduced diameter threaded end portions 96 and 98 which are threadedly received, respectively, in an internally threaded bore at the inner end of support rod 24 and in the internally and externally threaded bushing 32 which, in turn, is threadedly engaged in a tapped bore in bow handle section 16. The short, flexible rod section 92 is provided with collars 100 near each end thereof which maintain a pair of metal washers 102 in fixed spaced relationship when the threaded ends of the flexible rod section are drawn up tight. The cylindrical rubber-like member 94 is preferably heat bonded to the flexible rod section 92.

In this arrangement the inertial device 20 may move in any direction about its still axis with relation to the bow handle section when a suflicient impact force is applied to the bow to overcome the resistance to flexing of the support rod section 92 plus the resistance to distortion of the rubber-like cylindrical member 94.

FIG. 15 shows a fifth form of connector by which the weighting member 22 of the inertial device is connected to the outer end of a rigid support rod 25 in a manner to permit limited movement of the weighting member only, in any direction with relation to the bow, when a suflicient impact force is applied to the bow. In this arrangement the support rod 25 is rigidly connected at its inner end to the bow handle section 16 by the threaded engagement of a reduced diameter inner end portion 48 in the internally and exterally threaded bushing 32 which is, in turn, threadedly engaged in the bow handle section 16. The rigid support rod 25 has an enlarged hollow outer end portion 106 forming a cup in which is received a rubber-like member 108 filling the cup and extending slightly beyond the end of support rod 25 and a central short flexing rod 110. The flexing rod 110 is provided with threaded end portions 112 and 114 which are, respectively, threadedly engaged in a threaded axial bore in the bottom of the hollow end portion 106 and in a threaded bore in a spherical weighting element 22.

In this arrangement the inertial element 20 may move in any direction when a sufiicient impact force is applied to the bow to cause the flexing of the rod 110 and the rubber-like member 108 which surrounds it.

. In FIGS. 16, 17, and 18, a pair of inertial devices, generally indicated at 116, are mounted in bosses 118 on the back face of the bow 10. Each of the inertial devices 116 comprise a hollow cylinder 120 disposed horizontally and transversely with respect to the plane of the bow and bow string. Within the cylinder 120 is a free-fitting, cylindrical, weighting element 122 somewhat shorter than the interior length of hollow cylinder 120 so as to permit horizontal movement of the weighting element therein. A spring 124 biased between one end of weighting element 122 and the adjacent end wall of cylinder 120 biases the weighting element against a stop member 126, (which, if desired, may be made adjustable. The space in hollow cylinder 120 not occupied by the cylindrical weighting element 122 is filled with a viscous liquid 128. One end of hollow cylinder 120 is closed by a threaded end cap 130.

In this arrangement, a sufficient sidewise thrust applied to the arrow side of the bow, as is occasioned by the fore end of an arrow when released, will permit the bow to move sidewise slightly relative to the weighting element 122 as the spring 120 is compressed. The viscous liquid 128 in the cylinder 120 slows any relative movement of the bow and weighting element 122 and effectively damps out any sustained oscillations and precludes the noise of metal-to-metal contact of the weighting element 122 and cylinder walls.

It will be seen that the connectors generally indicated at 26, 64, and 82, shown in FIGS. 2, 12, and 13, respectively, not only permit the inertial device 20 to rock in any direction about its axis relative to the how but alsopermits it to move axially rearward relative to the bow in response to a sudden forward movement of the bow. Also, it will be noted that the connector generally indicated at 64, shown in FIG. 12, permits the inertial device 20 to move rearward and forward relative to the bow as well as to rock in any direction about its still axis. These connectors are particularly eflective not only in permitting the slight sidewise movement of the bow to insure arrow clearance but also in absorbing and damping reaction kick and bow limb vibration which occurs when the bow is released from a drawn position.

In the connectors generally indicated at 26 in FIG. 2 and at 82 in FIG. 13, the engagement of the flat surfaces of the flange portions of rocking members 40 and 86 with the inner, flat, annular surfaces of retaining nuts 46 and 90 provides a definite centering means which insures the return of inertial devices 20 to a predetermined still position when moved therefrom. In these arrangements the rubber-like annulus 38 of FIG. 2 and the spring 84 of FIG. 3 bias the rocking member flange against a fixed non-yielding stop. This is an important feature of the present invention inasmuch as it minimizes the tendency of the inertial device to overshot its still position and hunt back and forth in an oscillating motion. This arrangement also permits the use of a softer rubber annulus or spring while still maintaining the inertial device in its still position without sagging.

The amount of relative movement of the bow and inertial devices which occurs in any of the foregoing connectors varies with the impact force and is controlled by the strength of spring members or the hardness of the rubber-like annulus members or, as in FIGS. 14 and 15, by the combined strength of the flexible metal rods and hardness of the surrounding rubber-like members. The action of the rocking members 40, 53, and 82, shown in FIGS. 2, 8 and 13, respectively, is such that no sustained oscillations result when a relative movement of the inertial device and bow is caused to occur even though a compression spring 84 is used in FIG. 13.

The rubber-like material of the annulus 66 and spacer 76 of FIG. 12 have a hardness which will return the inertial device 20 to its still position, without oscillation, after displacement therefrom due to an impact force on the bow. The viscous liquid 128 in cylinder 120 of FIG, 17 damps out any oscillation of the weighting element which may otherwise occur, and the rubber-like masses surrounding and bonded to flexible rod 92 of FIG. 14 and of FIG. 15 effectively d-amp out oscillation.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided means for connecting inertial devices to a bow which permit controlled movement of the inertial devices relative to the bow when an impact force is applied to the bow and which return the inertial devices to a still position without continued oscillation of the relative movement.

The foregoing is intended to be illustrative and not limiting, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an archery bow having a handle section, an ine'rtial device comprising a support rod weighted at one end, means connecting the other end of said support rod to said bow handle section to permit limited universal angular movement thereof and limited axial movement thereof relative to said how handle section, said connecting means comprising a cup member rigidly connected to said bow handle section, means forming a centrally apertured wall at the open end of said cup member, a rocking member in said cup member including a flat disc portion lying fiat against said centrally apertured wall, a compression spring in said cup member biasing said disc portion against said apertured wall, and said other end of said support rod being rigidly connected to said rocking member.

2. An inertial device for the dynamic stabilization of an archery bow comprising a weighting element, a support rod connected at one end to said weighting element, a cup member having a threaded stud extending exteriorly from the bottom wall thereof for attaching said cup member to a bow, means forming a centrally apertured wall partially closing the open end of said cup member, a disc member in said cup lying fiat against said centrally apertured wall, resilient means in said cup biasing said disc firmly against said wall, and said support rod being attached at its other end to the central portion of said disc and in axial alignment with said cup member.

3. In an archery bow having a handle section, an inertial device comprising a weighting element, support means connected at one end to said handle section and supporting said weighting element at its other end in outward spaced relationship with the surface of said handle section, said weighting element having suflicient weight and being spaced outwardly from the surface of said handle section sufficiently to substantially increase the mass moment of inertia resisting rotation of the how about its longitudinal axis, said support means including resilient connecting means permitting yielding movement of said weighting element relative to said bow, and means operatively associated with said resilient means acting to suppress sustained oscillation of said weighting element.

4. In an archery bow having a handle section, an inertial device comprising a Weighting element, support means connected at one end to said handle section and supporting said weighting element at its other end in outward spaced relationship with the surface of said handle section, said support means comprising a first member rigidly connected to said handle section and a second member connected to said weighting element, said first and second members each having a flat surface portion which flat surface portions are normally in face to face contact, resilient means acting between said first and second members to bias said surface of said second member in face to face contact with said surface of said first member thereby to hold said weighting element in a normal still position and to permit yieldable movement of said weighting element relative to said bow w'hile suppressing sustained oscillation of said weighting element, and means limiting the sliding movement of said surface of said second member on said surface of said first member.

5. The arrangement set forth in claim 3 in which said means operatively associated with said resilient connecting means acting to suppress sustained oscillation of said weighting element comprises additional resilient means References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,714,646 5/1929 Thom-ann 267-1 2,575,858 11/1951 Bennett 267-1 X 3,188,041 6/1965 Town 267-1 X 3,297,284 1/1967 Pellerin 18888 X 3,232,286 5/1962 Guyton 124-24 3,244,161 4/1966 Jenson 124-24 3,196,860 7/1965 Hoyt 12424 OTHER REFERENCES Accra-Lizer-Archery Magazine, vol. 34, p. 35, August 1962.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

W. R. BROWN E, Assistant Examiner. 

